Eckerd College

Our waterfront campus is nestled on 188 acres along Boca Ciega Bay at the tip of St. Petersburg, a dynamic city of arts, culture and outdoor activities. Swimming, boating and sunbathing on our white-sand beach are all just steps away from your dorm room.

Native plants and wildlife cover the campus. Most of our faculty offices open directly outside or in common areas to encourage interaction with students. The bay and other natural areas are living laboratories for research — even for freshmen.

Study in a hammock or on a blanket on the beach or head to our modern library overlooking Fox Pond. Get a workout at the fitness center or at our outdoor pool.

Eckerd College is located directly on the water on the southern tip of Pinellas County, Florida. Students have easy access to a variety of habitats:

On-campus habitats

• extensive mangroves abutting Tampa Bay
• 7 freshwater marshes, ponds
• palm hammock (unique coastal forest of mostly palm trees)
• pinelands
• deciduous mesic forest (comprised of large live-oaks)

Nearby marine & coastal habitats

• 300m from the campus is Indian Key, a mangrove island and bird refuge where hundreds of birds nest and rest
• <1 km away are several barrier islands where students can camp and conduct research
• Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico are both easily accessible from the campus boat launch
• Several city, county, state and federal parks are within 30 miles of the campus. Classes take frequent field trips to these areas

Campus Nature Areas

Eckerd College Campus is home to many natural areas and a native garden in which the ecosystems of Florida’s west coast can be tracked and studied as well as admired and enjoyed. Some examples include:

The Alumni Grove, a small forest of pine trees adjacent to the Forever Wild preserve, was planted by the class of 1967 upon their graduation. Today it holds a canopy of tall pines and several comfortable hammocks from which to enjoy the bird life in the nearby pond.

Palm Hammock Nature Area is a five acre coastal hardwood hammock on the western edge of campus. It contains a cabbage palmetto and live oak forest in various stages of succession. Five exotic eucalyptus trees provide snags frequented by hawks, osprey, and other large birds of prey.

Native Plants Garden The Eckerd College Native Garden is planted and maintained by students, faculty and staff to showcase a Florida-friendly landscape that models xeriscaping and is also designed to attract butterflies. In 2005, Eckerd Environmental Studies major, Samantha Symon, received a National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Fellowship for her work developing an environmental literacy project
related to the garden.

Forever Wild is a strip of campus at the College’s most eastern edge that has been designated “wild” and left in its natural state without human management.

On-Campus Housing – Students electing to live on campus are required to sign a housing agreement with the Housing office each academic year. Students who decide to move off-campus after participating in room draw and/or have signed a Housing Agreement must notify the Housing office immediately. A cancellation fee is assessed to those students who cancel their Housing Agreement at anytime. Students who move off-campus will be issued a pro-rated housing and meal credit. Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence after the start of a semester will be refunded in accordance with the refund policy.

Part-time students are not eligible to live on campus.

• Late Cancellation fee – Assessed for canceling the Housing Agreement.
• Late Check-out fee – Students must follow the proper check-in and check-out procedure administered by the Housing office. Failure to comply will result in a daily fine imposed.
• Pet Fee – Pets are allowed only in designated dorms at an additional charge.
• Parking Fee – All vehicles must be registered with the Security office. A parking fee will be assessed annually.
• Room Reservation Deposit – A deposit required from student residing on campus and will be refunded to the student’s account upon leaving the residence hall.